Articles written by Bill Thackeray

I was very pleased with your recent front-page article describing the changes that have taken place at Hays-Lodge Pole School under the supervision of a new school board and a highly qualified new school superintendent, Margaret Campbell. As your... Full story

The one thing that the producer/directors of the new film "Winter in the Blood" capture in a remarkable way is the stunningly spectacular scenery of the mountains, plains and riverbottoms of north-central Montana. Alex and Andrew Smith, the... Full story

Recently, a number of my friends and I received cards in the mail supposedly offering a “$100 gift savings card good at Wal-Mart or Target!” All that was needed was to call “toll-free” to 1-866-903-0947, supplying a claim number provided on... Full story

We have recently gone through a bitter conflict and unpleasant reactions to efforts to preserve native, beautifully pristine lands along the upper Milk River in north-central Montana. A century ago, our most famous historic figure in Montana made a... Full story

I was surprised at your article on the newly resigned vice-chancellor at Montana State University-Northern being criticized for raising the grade of a student at her former administrative position. After all, reviewing student grades and helping... Full story

One of the big financial problems facing the currently meeting Montana Legislature in Helena and the newly elected Gov. Steve Bullock is the large shortage of funds in the Montana Public Retirement account. While covering current expenses with the...

It's puzzling to see why the north country farmers are so upset about the sale of the large ranch along the upper Milk River badlands region just south of the Canadian border. Was it the location of the land that is generally inaccessible to... Full story

"Charter schools are smarter schools!" Thus goes the slogan in some of the many states where there are concerted campaigns by private charter school companies and operators to barge in on the public school system in those states. Is this slogan...

Editor: The Montana Constitution provides for a two-term limit for governors of the state. Thus, Gov. Brian Schweitzer can't run again, so he has given his blessing to his protege, Steve Bullock, the present Montana attorney general. Bullock has... Full story

Editor: So Rep. Denny Rehberg — Republican U.S. Senate candidate running against Big Sandy's Sen. Jon Tester — has had his public life made "more complicated than normally" in the extra effort he is taking to put the Obamacare health care plan...

Editor: Now that the Havre City Council has decided to reconsider its restriction on drivers using cellphones while driving, I think we should look again at Ward 3 Councilman Rick Dow's column explaining his opposition to the cellphone ordinance...

Editor: The ugly, horned specter of a general sales tax for Montana recently haunted a meeting of the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce. According to a Havre Daily News report ("Tourism raises voice for support at Chamber," April 25, page 1), one of...

Editor: Most of us have heard of the idea of a non-sequitur from science, history, writing, speech and political science classes well before middle school. But seldom do we see such a perfect example of this logical blunder as in Rick Dow's column...

Editor: When Steve Bullock decided to run for governor, he had to pass up his opportunity to run for re-election as Montana state attorney general. Since there is no obvious successor to this state office, second in influence only to the governor's... Full story

Montana tea party has strayed from Republican ideals Editor: Nullification? Paramilitary armies? Has the tea party group in Helena gone completely crazy? When Thomas Jefferson first discussed the principle with James Madison, both Jefferson and... Full story

Corrector presents malicious gossip, pictorial obscenities Editor: In our wonderful country with its governmental and cultural values that encourage debate and vigorous exchanges of opinion, the truth and best policies result from compromises among...